Automatic water-feeder for steam-boilers.



Patented Dct 3, |899. C. B. HANTHDBN A. WELCH.

(Application led Feb. 1, 1899.)

W/TNESSES /N VENTOHS'.'

WOHNEYS.

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PATENT i CLAUDE B. HANTHORN AND ALVADORE WELCH, OF ASTORIA, OREGON.

AUTOMATIC WATER-FEEDER FOR STEAM-BOILERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,339, dated October 3, 1899. Application filed February 1| 1899. Serial No. 704,112. (No modelli To @ZZ whom t 11u02/ con/cern:

Be it known Athat we, CLAUDE B. HANTHORN and ALVADORE WELCH, of Astoria, in the t county of Olatsop and State of Oregon, have invented an Improved Automatic Water- Feeder for Steam-Boilers, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description.

This invention relates to a type of waterfeeding devices employed to supply water to steam-boilers while they are in service and also capable of use in connection with oil, gas, or fluid boilers, and has for its lprimary object to provide a novel, simple, and very efficient device of the character indicated which may be readily connected with 'any steamgenerator and that will reliably and automatically feed water from a source of supply into the boiler by force of gravity, the apparatus being adapted for adjustment to maintain the water in the boiler at a desired height.

Afurther object of the invention is to adapt the improved water-feeding device to measurably heat the feed-water in its passage through the same and into the boiler.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described, and indicated in the claims.

Reference is to behad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

Figure 1 is a partly-sectional side view of the improved boiler-feeding device and the connections thereto shown broken away and in section, the working parts of the apparatus being in the relative positions they assume when receiving a supply of water; and Fig. 2 is a view substantially similar to Fig.

' 1, but having the operative mechanism therein changed in adjustment and showing the relative positions of the same when the device is about to automatically discharge water` therefrom by the force of gravity.

In the drawings, 3 represents the body or;

shell of a water-receiving chamber, which is completed by two heads 4 and 5, which are respectively secured by bolts or other means upon the normally upper and lower -ends of .said shell.

The dimensions of the water receiving chamber may be varied to suit any desired capacity for the device; but usually this receptacle is made of moderate capacity and should have strength enough to withstand maximum steam-pressure generated in the boiler to which the water-feeding apparatus is attached.

A valve-chest 6, preferably in cylindrical form, is located upon and secured by bolts to the upper head 4 of the chamber 3, thc bore of the cylindrical chest 6 being in open communication at its lower end with the interior of the water-receiving chamber 3 and closed at the upper end by a cap-piece a, which is bolted to said valve-chest.

From one side of the valve /chest G two spaced branch pipes 7 S extend outwardly and downwardly, having their lower ends introduced steam-tight into perforations in the head 4, and another angular pipe 9 connects the cap-piece a with the head et, whereby three independent conduits are aiforded between the bore of the chest 6 above its open lower end and the chamber 3.

At a proper distance from the branch pipes 7 8 an exhaust-pipe 10 taps with one end of the side wall of the valve-chest G and is thence extended to a desired point for the escape of waste steam that may traverse it.

At a suitable distance below the exhaustpipe 10 a live-steam-supply pipe 11 intersects the side wall of the valve-chest 6 and projects therefrom to the steam-boiler, which the improved apparatus is to supply with water.v

Three piston-heads 12 13 1/-1 are secured at intervals upon the upper portion of the valvevrod 15 and have a steam-tight slidable engagement within the bore of the chest 6, the length of the valve-rod adapting it to extend to a point near the lower head 5 of the chamber 3.

The lower portion of the valve-rod 15 is screw-cut for reception of a nut 1G, that may have a depending extension b thereon, from which project lateral wings b. Preferably a depending hollow extension or chamber 5L is secured over an aperture in the lower head 5 to afford space for the reception of the depending nuteXte-nsion l); but it is not imperative that this provision be made, as it is apparent that the shell of the chamber 3 may be suiiiciently increased in length to dispense with the extension-chamber 5,

A lever 17 is loosely connected to the wall ot chamber 3,or,if preferred.inay be pivoted l communication with each other across the upon a projection from the head 1, so as to adaptthc lever to rock from a horizontal plane, and, as shown, the lever projects toward and has a loose engagement with the valve-rod 15.

The manner of loosely connecting the lever 17 with the valve-rod 15 may with advantage be as shown, consisting in providing two spaced collars c on the valve-rod, between which the perforated or slotted end of the lever is introduced, whereby a rockable connection ot said parts is afforded.

A spring 1S of sufficient strength to support the weight of the valve-rod 15 and pistonheads 12 13 14 is hung from the head 4 and at the lower end is shackled upon the lever 17, so that the rod and piston-heads are effectively counterbalanced and adapted to remain at any point of elevation which may be given them.

On the valve-rod 15 a float 19, of sheet metal orothersuitable material, is loosely mounted, and thus adapted to slide thereon, said lioat resting upon the upper side ot the nut 1b' when the chamber 3 is nearly empty, as shown in Fig. 1.

A water-supply pipe 20, which extends from an elevated water-tank (not shown) or from any other source ol water-supply under pressure, taps the lower portion of the receiving-chamber 3, preferably entering the same through the lower head 5, and a check-valve 21 of ordinary form is introduced in a horizont-al member of the water-supply pipe to control the passage ot water therefrom into the receiving-chamber.

From the lower head 5 of the receivingchamber 3 a water-feeding pipe 22 extends, having a check-valve 23 therein, and said pipe when completed serves to connect the water-feeding device with the boiler that is to receive water from said device.

For convenience of control of the apparatus a valve 11 may be placed in the livesteam pipe 11 and a like valve 20 in the water-supply pipe 20.

XVhen the complete device has been connected with the boiler it is to supply with water, the receiving-chamber 3 should be located at such a height relative to said boiler that a suitable amount of water A, which denotes low-water level in the boiler, will always remain in the tower portion of said receiving-chamber, as indicated by the line Qc in Fig. 1.

When the water-level in the receivingchamber 3 is on the low-water line x the weight of the float 19 will seat it upon the nut 16 and depress the valve-rod 15, so as to dispose the spaced piston-heads 12 13 14 as shown in Fig. 1.

It will be observed that by the adjustment of parts described au escape-passage for air or steam that may be in the chamber 3 will be afforded through the bent branch pipe 8 and exhaust-pipo 10, these being in open` bore of the valve-chest b' between the pistonheads 12 and 13. 'lhe same adjustment ot' the piston-heads locates the piston 13 directly opposite the branch pipe 7, thereby sealing the end of said bent pipe where it intersects the bore of the valve-chest (5. At the same time the head 13 is located over the end of the pipe 7, the lowermost piston-head 14 is depressed somewhat, and steam from thelivesteam pipe 11, owing through the opened Valve 11, enters the valve-chest between the piston-heads 13 14, thereby balancing the pressure on said heads, so that the rod and the piston-heads 12 13 14 thereon remain in the position shown in Fig. 1. Now it the valve 20 in the water-supply pipe 2O is opened water will enter the chamber 3 and elevate the oat 19 until it assumes the position indicated in Fig. 2, as the air will pass freely out through the pipes 8 and 10. The elevation of the float 19 by the iuflowing water A will cause said float to rock the lever 17 upwardly, relieving the tension of the spring 1S and simultaneously changing the positions of the piston-heads 12 13 14 in the valve-chest G.

It will be seen in Fig. 2 that the upward movement ot' the valve-rod l5 locates the piston-head 13 over the inner end of the escape-pipe 10 and at the same instant removes it from the previously-sealed inner end ol' the branch pipe 7, thereby establishingafree passage for live steam from the pipe 11 into the chamber through the communicating pipes 11 7.

The elevation of the piston-heads, as explained, also disposes the open end of the brauch pipe 8 between the piston-heads 12 13, so that live steam that has entered the chamber3 through the branch pipe 7 will pass up the pipe 8 and thenceinto the valve-chest 6 between the piston-heads 12 13, whereby the valve-rod and heads 12 13 14 are balanced by equal pressure of the steam on the heads 12 13.

As the bore of the steam-chest G is open to the interior of the receiving-chamber 3 and the steam will pass through the bent pipe 9, so as to have contact with the upper side ot the piston-head 12, it will be apparent that the equality of steam-pressure thus produced upon the lower side of the piston-head 14 and the upper side of the piston-head 12 will also conduce to maintain the valve-rod in elevated adjustment, said valve-rod being free to descend when the water in the receivingchamber 3 ows out of said chamber.

As the pressure of the live steam is equal above and below the body of water A, it will be evident that by its gravity the water above the low-water line a: in the chamber 3 will Ilow through the check -Valve 23 and the boiler feed-pipe 22 into said boiler until a level is established ot the water in the boiler and the chamber 3.

Then by the descent of the float 19 its weight is imposed upon the nut 1G, the rod 15 IOO IIO

is caused to correspondingly descend, and in consequence thereof the vpiston-heads 13 13 l-,t will be again disposed in the relative positions indicated in Fig. 1 for a repetition of the previously-described operation, so that while the steam-valve 11TL and Water-supply valve 2()at are open the automatic operation of transmitting feed-Water through the improved apparatus will continue, providing the evaporation of water in the boiler causes a fluctuation in height of water therein.

1t will be seen that the upward movement of the valve-rod 15 is arrested by the impinge of the piston-rod 12 upon the cap-piece a of the valve-chest 6 and also that the degree of descent given to the valve-rod by the weight of the oat 19 will be defined by the contact of the lower piston-head 14 upon a projection c, that may be secured to project up into the lower portion of the bore of the steam-chest a proper distance for such a purpose, so that the correct disposition of the piston-heads 12 13 14 with regard to the outlets in the valvechest 6 is assured. It will also be seen that by an adjustment of the nut l) on the valverod 15 by screwing it farther thereon the iioat 19 will contact with the nut at a greater height from the bottom of the chamber3 and change the position of the piston-heads for the admission of water, which will virtually raise the low-water line 0c any desireddegree, so that an adjustment of the height of water carried in the steam-boiler may in this manner be exactly effected.

As there is a frequent introduction of live steam within the receiving-chamber 3 in direct contact with the limited amount of water introduced therein, it will be obvious that the heat ofthe steam'will be transmitted to the water in the chamber 3 and measurably heat it before the Water passes therefrom through the feed-pipe 22, so that the improved apparatus serves the dual purpose of a feedwater heater and water-feeding device for a steam or other generator.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A water-feeding device, comprising a Water receiving and discharging chamber, a valve-chest mounted thereon, three spaced branch pipes extending between the chest and chamber and located one above the other, a steam-supply, an exhaust leading from the chest, a plurality of spaced piston-heads cn an upright valve-rod and slidable in the chest, so as to be adapted to control iniiux and escape of steam to and from the chamber, a fioat guided by the valve-rod and adapted to lift it for changing the position of the pistonvalves, a water-supply, and a water-discharge pipe connected with the lower portion of the chamber.

2. In a water-feeding device, the combination with a chamber, a valve-chest thereon, branch pipes leading from the chest to the chamber, a live-steam pipe entering the chest below the branch pipes, and an exhaust-pipe leading from said chest, of an upright valverod, a spring balancing device therefor, three piston-heads on the rod and slidable in the chest, a float on the rod adapted tol raise and lower it, a water-supply pipe, and a Water-offtake pipe for feeding water to a steam-generator.

3. In a water-feeding device, the combination with a chamber, a vertical valve-chest thereon, three branch pipes leading from the chest to the chamber, a live-steam pipe tapping the chest below the branch pipes, and an exhaust-pipe tapping the chest above the livesteam pipe, of a valve-rod, an adjustable nut on said rod near its lower end, three spaced piston-heads on the upper part of the valverod and slidable inthe chest, a iioat loosely mounted on the valve-rod and adapted to lift and lower the same, a Valve-controlled Watersupply pipe, and a valve-controlled offtakepipe for feeding Water to a steam-generator.

et. lu a water-feeding device, the combination with a chamber, a vertical valve-chest thereon, three spaced branch pipes extending from the chest into the chamber, a live-steam pipe tapping the chestbelow the branch pipes, and an exhaust-pipe leading from the chest above the live-steam pipe, of a vertical valverod, a spring-controlled and rockable lever loosely engaging at one end with the valve-rod to counterbalance its weight, three spaced piston-heads fast on the upper portion of the valve-rod and slidable in the chest, a float loosely mounted on the valve-rod and adapted to lift or lower it under the influence of Water entering and leaving the chamber, a valvecontrolled water-supply pipe, and avalVe-controlled offtake-pipe for feeding water to a steam-generator.

5. rIn a water-feeding device, the combination with a chamber, a valve-controlled watersupply therefor, a valve-controlled water take-off, and a valve-chest on the chamber, of a plurality of branch pipes leading from the chest to the chamber, said chest having a steam inlet and an outlet, a valve-rod, three piston-heads thereon movable in the chest, a

IOO

counterbalance for the weight of the valverod and piston-heads, and a ioat adapted to change the position of the piston-heads to effect a periodical influx and discharge of water to and from the chamber.

CLAUDE B. HANTHORN. ALVADORE WELCH.

Witnesses:

L. H. COMING, J. H. LANGwoRTHY. 

